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W. O. ALLISON & J. HOSKIN. 6

Apparatus for Establishing Permanent Channels in Rivers, 8w.

No. 231,69 Patented. Aug. 31,1880.

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N. PETERS, PHOTO-LITNOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D. C.

(NO Model.) 4 Sheets--Sheet 2.

W. O. ALLISON 83 J. HOSKIN. v Apparatus for Establishing PermanentChannels in Rivers, 8L0- No. 231,698. Patented Aug. 1,11880,

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I I I WY J W. 0. ALLISON & J. HOSKI Apparatus for Establishing PermanentChannels in I 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. N.

Rivers, 8L0.

Patent (N0 Model.)

No. 23I,6 98.

u PETERS, FRO A wgsnmerow a c (No Model.) 4 Sheets-- Sheet 4.

W. GQALLISON & J. HOSKIN Apparatus for Establishing Permanent Channelsin Rivers,&o.

No. 231,698. nted Aug. 31,-1 8

NPEI'ERS, PHOTO'LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON, D. C.

Uwrrn Srarns WILLIAM G. ALLISON AND JOHN HOSKIN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PA.

APPARATUS FOR ESTABLISHING PERMANENT CHANNELS IN RIVERS, dc.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 231,698, dated August31, 1880.

Application filed J une 11, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM C. ALLISON and JOHN HosKIN, of the city ofPhiladelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania,have invented an Improvement in Apparatus for Establishing PermanentChannels in Rivers, Sand-Bars, &c., of which the following is aspecification.

Our invention relates to apparatus or fiumes designed to deepenwater-channels or establish a permanent channel in rivers, sand-bars,&c.; and our invention consists in constructing a flume in such a mannerthat the flow of water under pressure in the main is under perfectcontrol, and can be brought to operate upon the sand-bar, &c., at anypoint desired further, in the combination of a water-main or flume withone or more jetpipes rigidly or flexibly attached to said main, andtheir communication controlled by suitable cocks or valves, whereby anysection or sections of the jetpipes may be shut off and made independentof those remaining; further, in furnishing the water main with suitablevalves along its length, for the purpose of allowing one part of thepipe to be repaired while the other part is at work; further, inproviding the water-main or flume with auxiliary outlets, in combinationwith valves, for the purpose of allowing a pump to be attached and allowany section of the flume to be used separately and independently of thehead of water at the end; and, finally, in attaching such a flume to aboat, or supporting it upon a float before said boat, and operating itto form a channel through a bar in a river and allow the passage of theboat.

Heretofore flumes have been made of a single pipe or main provided withholes at the bottom and without valves to control the flow from theholes, or they have been made with a slide plate or valve perforated andmade to fit the bottom of this single fiume or main; but the valve wasnot tight, as it was impossible to make a good fit or close contactbetween the surfaces of the main and slide; and, further, in both ofthese cases the sand worked itself into the water-main, and in thelatter case would not allow the valve or slide to work. In the formercase, if the pipe or flume were long, there would be no pressure in theend sections, since the water would have run out of the perforationsnearer the head or pressure end. This is almost equally so of the latterconstruction, since the construction of valves referred to will notprevent the leakage of sufficient water to allow the engineer to controlthe flow in a great length of pipe; further, in the single pipe orflume, if it be in a considerable length, it is liable to turn or twist,allowing the jets to play laterally, which is very objectionable.

With our improvement we overcome all of these difficulties, and theconstruction of our apparatus is fully set forth in the followingspecification, shown in the accompanying drawings, and referred to inthe appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an end view or cross-section of one form ofour improved combination-flume in which there is one jet-pipe. Fig. 2 isa plan of a short length of same. Fi 3 is a cross-section of same, onlywith two jetpipes. Fig. 4 is a plan of same. Fig. 5 shows detailed viewsof the jet-pipe and the method of setting the holes. Fig. 6 is across-section of a modified form of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a plan View of amodified form of Fig. 3, being more compact. Fig. 8 is a side elevationof same. Fig. 9 is a cross-section of same. Fig. 10 is an end view,having a single jet-pipe, and the valves to each section thereofarranged alternately on each side of the water-main or flume to balanceit. Fig. 11 is a side elevation of same. Fig. 12 is an end view of amodified form of same, in which the valves are located within the mainor flume and in the central vertical line. Fig.1.? is a side elevationof same. Fi ltis a modified form of that shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 15 is aplan of same. Fig. 16 shows the flume attached to a boat arranged toclear an obstructed channel.

In all of these forms of our invention, A is the wateremain or fiumeproper, and is made in sections and connected by suitable couplings Eand D, which also join and support the jetpipes B. These jet-pipes areperforated with small holes arranged in one or more rows, and coveringan area of aboutone-quarter the superficial area of the pipe, as shownin all the cross-sections and Fig. 5.

The main or flumeAhas no perforations, as in former constructions, buthas communication with the jet-pipes B through the couplings E, whichcommunication is governed by a suitable valve, 0. The ends of thejet-pipes B are supported and their ends closed by a solid socket, D,which may be cast with the coupling D, as shown in Fig. 15, or madeseparate, as shown in Fig. 4..

It is not necessary to our invention that the jet-pipes are screweddirectly into the coupling, and that the said coupling shall contain thevalves, since the said pipes may be conncted to the coupling or valve insame by an independent T-piece, as shown in Fig. 4, or

by several elbows and T-pieces, as shown in Fig. 6, and the valves maybe simple pipecocks screwed on the ends of the jet-pipes and independentof the couplings E, as shown in Figs. 14 and 15. The construction shownin these two figures is that which I prefer, on account of simplicity,efficiency, and cheapness.

The advantage of having two jet-pipes, B, is apparent from anexamination of the several drawings, from which it is seen that a fiumeor water-main provided with a jetpipe, B, arranged on either side, asshown in Fig. 15, is perfectly balanced, and would always remain in anormal position upon the bed of sand, silt, &c. The holes I) b in thejet pipes B are so directed that they throw part of the water under thefiume or main A, and thereby wash away its support, causing the combinedflume to change its bevel of base or bed, and at the same time cutting achannel in the sand.

At various points along the length of the main or flume A, and at itsend, are valves F and openings N, provided with covers, (shown in dottedlines in Fig. 2,) for the purpose of cleaning out the flume, allowingrepairs, or allowing any section of the flame to be used independentlyby closing-valves F and attaching a pump at an opening, N, and forcingwater into the main A at that point, thereby using that part of theapparatus only which rests upon a bar to be removed. WVhen a flume orjet-pipe, K, is attached to a vessel or floating body, H, it is soarranged in front of the vessel that it can be raised or lowered to anyrequired depth at will, and is connected to a force or other pump, I, bya flexible pipe, J. By making the fiume part of the equipment of vesselsplying in muddy or shallow Waters whose channels are liable to becomefilled, channel could be out or made through any sand-bar upon which thesaid vessel may run aground, and allow her to float again.

The operation is as follows: The combined flume being laid in positionalong the bed of a river, sand-bar, or shallow water in which it isdesired to cut and keep open apermanent channel, one end is connectedwith a dam or pump, through the agency of which water is forced underpressure through the water-main or fiume A, the valve F at the other endbeing closed. If at any point the flume rests upon a sand-bar, and it isto be removed, the valves 0, controlling the supply of water to thejetrent produced in still waters by the fiume. As

the channel is thus deepened the combined flume sinks with it,constantly cutting deeper and deeper.

If desired, all the jet-pipes arranged on either side of the flume orunder it can be made to throw out jets of water if solid material alongits entire bed is to be removed; but if the flume crosses clear water atany point, then to open the valves 0 would be mere waste of water andpressure, so at that point they would be kept closed. Thus a line ofchannel may be opened, into which the water sluggishly flowing over theadjacent shallows will then flow with increasing rapidity, as the wholeof the current finds its way into it, carrying by the increased rapiditythe silt that lately choked the channel, and thereby deepening it. Theapparatus cuts a channel, and thereby causes the river to be its ownsilt-carmen If it is found more practicable in any particular operationto make the jet-pipes B flexibly attached to the main or fiume A, sothat the former alone need rest on the bottom, bar, 850., while theflame or main itself may be on shore, it can be so constructed withoutdeparting from our invention.

Having now described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a combined flnme, a water-main tosupply water under pressure, sections of Y jetpipes connected andcommunicating with said main, and suitable valves to govern the supplyof water to any section or sections of jetpipe, substantially as and forthe purpose specified.

2. In a fiume, a water main one end of which is in communication with ahead of water under pressure, provided with valves along its length toprevent the flow of water beyond a given point during repairs, 860.,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a combined flume, a flume or main, A, jet-pipes B, provided withsmall holes b, couplings E, valves 0, and sockets D, combinedsubstantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a combined flume, a flume or main, A, jet-pipes B, provided withholes I), couplings E, valves 0, and combined coupling and socket D D,all arranged substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In 'a fiume, a water-main, A, jet-pipe B, having holes 11, valves 0and F, all combined substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. Apparatus for deepening channels and removing sandbars, consisting ofa horizontal, or nearly horizontal, fiume having the end substantiallyclosed, and provided with holes or an equivalent device, as set forth,to throw out jets of water under pressure along its length, said flumebeing flexibly attached to a boat or its appendage, in combination withsaid boat, and a force-pump or its equivalent, by which water is forcedunder pressure into to the flume, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

7. In a flume for washing out sand-bars, &c.,

a main, A, provided with valves F at intervals along its length, andopenings N, provided with a cover, oneof which is placed between any twovalves F, all combined substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony of which invention we here-

